Draft beer dispensing unit for use in a household refrigerator



A. Y. LAWSON Jan. 18, 1966 DRAFT BEER DISPENSING UNIT FOR USE IN A HOUSEHOLD REFRIGERATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 24, 1964 A. Y. LAWSON 3,229,852

DRAFT BEER DISPENSING UNIT FOR USE IN A HOUSEHOLD REFRIGERATOR Jan. 18, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 24, 1964 United States Patent 3,229,852 DRAFT BEER DISPENSING UNIT FOR USE IN A HOUSEHOLD REFRIGERATOR Aram Y. Lawson, Delaware County, Pa. (301 Kenmore Road, Havertown, Pa.) Filed Feb. 24, 1964, Ser. No. 347,090 3 Claims. (Cl. 222-52) This invention is a draft beer dispenser made of aluminum specially designed for simple installation in household refrigerators.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a dis pensing unit for a pressurized beverage, which unit is to be installed on the shelf of a household refrigerator. In use, the door of the refrigerator may be opened, and the spigot of the dispenser actuated so that the beverage may flow directly into a glass (or other receiver) manually held adjacent the said spigot. After removing the glass full of beverage, the door may then be closed. During the inactive period, the refrigerating effect of the refrigerator will maintain the beverage at the desired temperature, ready for the next use.

Further objects are to provide a dispensing unit which may be readily re-filled, and, when the beverage is carbonated, (i.e. beer), the pressurization means for the dispensing will also be utilized to maintain the said carbonation.

FIGURE 1 is an end view of the aluminum draft beer dispenser; A is the container, B is the screw or pressure cap for the container, and C is the tube fitting for connecting the CO hose to the container.

FIGURE 2 is a front view of the dispenser; A is the container, B is the screw or pressure cap, C is the tube fitting for connecting the CO hose to the container, and D is a female-thread nut which is an integral part of the container designed to receive the male-thread shank of a pressure spigot for dispensing beer.

FIGURE 3 is the screw or pressure cap at the top of the dispenser, shown as B in FIGURES 1 and 2.

FIGURE 4 is the tube fitting shown as C in FIGURES 1 and 2.

FIGURE 5 is a cross-section of the beer dispenser, with A as the container itself, B the screw or pressure cap in place, C is the tube fitting showing the CO hose connected to it, and D is the female-thread nut with the spigot screwed in place. Attached to the shank of the spigot inside the container is a section of tubing.

FIGURE 6 is a front view of the beer dispensing unit as it would look when installed on a refrigerator shelf.

FIGURE 7 is a cross-section of the side view of a refrigerator with the refrigerator door closed, showing a complete installation of the beer dispenser inside the refrigerator; F is the CO cylinder and E is the pressure regulator, with the hose from the pressure regulator conlot:

nected to the beer dispenser through a hole in the rear of the refrigerator.

This draft beer dispenser is designed for use in practically any household refrigerator. The aluminum container for the dispenser can be made in various sizes. The opening for the screw or pressure cap B on the top of the container is approximately five inches (5") in diameter and will permit easy filling and servicing of the parts inside the container, if and when necessary. Because of this large 5" opening at the top of the container, it can very easily be thoroughly cleaned inside by hand, without the use of any special equipment. Cleanliness of the interior of a beer dispensing unit is very important from the standpoint of health, as well as good beer taste.

The dispenser is designed to be filled simply and easily in the home from quarts or other small containers of beer which are readily available.

The section of tubing which is connected to the shank of the spigot inside the dispenser extends to the rear and bottom of the container so that all the beer in the container can be drawn through the pressure spigot with very little or no waste.

This method of being able to dispense draft beer from a container in ones household refrigerator enables everyone to enjoy draft beer at home without any separate or special refrigeration. The common standard of approximately forty degrees (40) Fahrenheit for food storage in a refrigerator is the same as the approximate proper temperature for draft beer, eliminating any special refigeration problems for the draft beer dispenser.

I claim:

1. In combination a refrigerator having side and back walls, an internal supporting surface, and a door at the front, an aperture through one of said walls, a receptacle on said surface, and having a dispensing spigot, a gas pressure conduit connected to the inside of said receptacle and passing through said aperture, the dimensions of said receptacle being such that said door may close without interference therefrom but when open, a receiver may be placed adjacent said spigot and filled therefrom.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the gas pressure conduit further includes a pressure regulator and means to connect to a C0 bottle.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein the said gas pressure conduit includes a shut-off means, and the said receptacle includes a re-fill opening and cap therefor.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 220,795 10/1879 Blatt 62-389 2,103,479 12/1937 Magee 62338 X RAPHAEL M. LUPO, Primary Examiner.

HADD S. LANE, Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION A REFRIGERATOR HAVING SIDE AND BACK WALLS, AN INTERNAL SUPPORTING SURFACE, AND A DOOR AT THE FRONT, AN APERTURE THROUGH ONE OF SAID WALLS, A RECEPTACLE ON SAID SURFACE, AND HAVING A DISPENSING SPIGOT, A GAS PRESSURE CONDUIT CONNECTED TO THE INSIDE OF SAID RECEPTACLE AND PASSING THROUGH SAID APERTURE, THE DIMENSIONS OF SAID 